Category

Difficulty

Total Time

Yield

Ingredients

1

egg(s)

1

garlic clove(s)

1

chilli peppers (fresh)

1

shallot(s)

1 tbsp

oyster sauce

0.5 tbsp

dark soy sauce

1.5 tbsp

fish sauce

250 g

minced meat

—

french beans

0.5 tbsp

sugar

—

holy basil

Background

Thai holy basil makes stir-fry dishes more exciting. The slight tinge of peppery taste and fragrance makes this dish flavourful and appetizing. In Thailand, Pad Kra Pao is available at humble street stalls as well as in established restaurants. Due to its easy preparation in using the minimal ingredients, it is no surprise that it is loved by many. Fish sauce is the other core ingredient that makes or breaks the gravy of Pad Kra Pao, in my opinion. It is the gravy that goes wonderfully well with rice.

Type of minced meat for pad kra pao

I used minced chicken in this recipe but feel free to use other types of meat to make either Pad Kra Pao Nua (Thai basil beef) or Pad Kra Pao Moo (Thai basil pork). Cooking this dish at high heat helps in browning the meat a little. This will ensure that more gravy gets to coat the meat easily.

Alternatives to holy basil

Pad Kra Pao recipe calls for a big bunch of holy basil to be added to it. If you are not able to find Thai holy basil, sweet basil which is commonly found in most supermarkets is the closest choice. Adding a dash of pepper will help to deliver the light hint of peppery taste that sweet basil does not have.

Vegan or vegetarian pad kra pao

If you are looking for a vegetarian version of Pad Kra Pao, I had experimented preparing it with some minced firm tofu. They were browned with a little bit of oil first. This would dry the tofu pieces and gets rid of the soy taste. Although it might take some time but trust me, you would not even miss the meat which is normally used in this dish. You may substitute fish sauce with soy sauce and a little bit of lime juice if you want to make this dish strictly vegetarian.

French beans are not used in the original Pad Kra Pao dish. I hate to admit but I may have germanized this dish without realizing it. Quite a few of the Thai restaurants in Germany serve it with french beans which is fine with me. After all, everyone needs a fast, balanced meal with meat and vegetables. This is it, a perfect delicious combination!